Used to be you couldn’t get a slice of pizza in this town after 9 p.m.
OK, we exaggerate. But the late-night dining landscape has improved remarkably of late.
It also doesn’t hurt that at a place like Che Fico, a 10:30 p.m. seating is the earliest you’re gonna get.
Whether you’re bucket-list-eating your way through the city’s best restaurants or just enjoy that post-midnight ambience, these are your best late-night bets.
Beats the hell outta Taco Bell, that’s for sure.
In brief: Is this unquestionably the finest late-night eatery in town? Of course it is: welcome to Che Fico, which would be a coveted choice even at the 7:30 seating.
Until: 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, midnight Friday and Saturday
Order: Whichever pizza strikes the fancy, though our choice is the mozzarella, mushroom, sausage and Calabrian chili.
In brief: So everything we said about Che Fico offering the city’s best late-night eats is true, unless you love Nopa, in which case … Nopa wins. (It’s a tough call.)
Until: Midnight Sunday through Thursday, 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Order: The wood-grilled hamburger with pickled onions and fries, or the pappardelle with “Nine-Hour Bolognese,” kale and parmesan.
In brief: We all have our choice of late-night tacos — this is ours.
Until: 3 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, 3:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, midnight Sunday at their 2779 Mission location, 1:30 a.m. weekdays (or 2:30 a.m. weekends) on 24th Street,.
Order: No one’s ever going to talk us out of our personal deep cut: the garlic-sauce shrimp with rice, beans and salad.
In brief: If you want cocktails but also food, and in an exceptionally design-forward environment, here’s your pick.
Until: 1 a.m. (drinks until 2 a.m.)
Order: The fried-chicken two-piece and sides.
In brief: Other S.F. restaurants dream of Zuni’s longevity (and burger fandom)
Until: 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, midnight Friday and Saturday
Order: Well, the burger. As the New York Times recently pointed out, the burger recipe in Zuni’s cookbook required three pages. But this is one of those few tiuly “everything’s great” sort of places, so follow your heart freely.
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